Mission & History
OUR MISSION
A Catholic independent school, St. Sebastian’s seeks to engage young men in the pursuit of truth through faith and reason.
By embracing Gospel values in an inclusive, nurturing community and by inspiring intellectual excellence in a structured liberal arts curriculum, St. Sebastian’s strives to empower students for success in college and in life.
The ideal St. Sebastian’s graduate will be a moral and just person, a gentleman of courage, honor, and wisdom, a life-long learner who continues to grow in his capacity to know, to love, and to serve God and neighbor.
The Founding Vision
Founded in 1941, and in keeping with the military spirit of the age, St. Sebastian's School was named for Sebastian, the martyred soldier-saint.
For several years, Cardinal William O’Connell, Archbishop of Boston, had been considering starting a new school for the Catholic boys of Boston and the surrounding towns. The idea was to educate boys of college preparatory age in an environment that mirrored the best boarding schools, while allowing the students to continue to live at home. From the beginning, St. Sebastian’s added a third dimension: the School would actively develop the body, mind and soul of its students, with a strong emphasis on cultivating and deepening each student’s spiritual life.
The Early Years
Just two months after Cardinal O’Connell purchased property on Nonantum Hill in Newton, St. Sebastian’s held its first day of classes on the morning of September 29, 1941. In the days and years that followed, the first headmaster, Msgr. Charles McInnis, along with a faculty of seven priests, guided these original students and the boys who made up succeeding classes to help establish the tone, reputation, and quality of education offered at St. Sebastian’s.
Stronger Than Ever
Over the decades since its founding, much has changed, most notably the shift from priest faculty to lay faculty during the 1970s, the relocation of the School from Newton to Needham in 1983, the appointment of the first lay headmaster, William L. Burke III, in 1990, and the transformation of our campus. Yet, St. Sebastian’s has always stayed true to its vision and mission. The School’s spiritual focus continues to be the cornerstone of a St. Sebastian’s education today.
The Legend Behind the Name
The School’s patron, Saint Sebastian, was a courageous Roman soldier and Christian martyr whose story dates back to Ancient Rome. As a captain of the Praetorian Guard, he secretly supported persecuted Christians. After surviving an execution by arrows and returning to confront the emperor, he was ultimately martyred for his beliefs.
Sebastian’s values of integrity, leadership, courage, and faith have served as a powerful example for every class of Arrows since the School’s founding in 1941.